Fiji

Bula everyone!  That is how you say hello in Fiji.  Greg and I attended training in Suva, Fiji, this past week for the Assistant Area Auditors.  The flight was about  a 2 1/2 hour flight, west of Vanuatu.  We were one of four couples who attended from our area in the Pacific.  Elder and Sister Oldroyd, originally from Provo, Utah, are serving in Tonga.  Elder and Sister Hanson, originally from Highland, Utah, are serving in Kiribati (pronounced "kitty bus").  Elder and Sister Gurr, from Sandy, Utah, are serving in Somoa.  I knew Elder Rickey Gurr from my days working in Draper at the Utah National Guard Headquarters.  When I saw his name on the list, I wondered if it was him, and sure enough.  We had a great time reminiscing about the good ol' days in the Utah National Guard.   After talking to Sister Hanson, from Kiribati, I will stop feeling sorry for myself. Kiribati is located in the central pacific, and is comprised of about 33 coral isles stretching along the equator.    She was telling me how hard it was when they first got there to find food!  Whenever a container comes in, they head right to the store.  You never know what's coming in on the boat. They find it especially hard to get protein, and when they do find it, it's expensive.  They can usually get chicken, its other meat that's hard.  She said she bought a pretty lame steak that cost her $23.00.  She had to cooked it all day in the crockpot to tenderize it.   A container came in one day with cabbage on board for $47.00 a head!  Four of the sisters serving with them wanted it bad enough that they bought it and split it!  I like cabbage, but not that much.  While  in Fiji, they went to a market and bought a ton of stuff to take back with them.  When you spend time in places that don't have what you're used to having, you really learn to appreciate what you have, that is for sure.  I wouldn't give this experience up for anything though.  When you do hard things, its good, it makes you stronger. Your gratitude meter really rises!   One afternoon we had the chance to attend a temple session.   The Fiji temple is a small, but beautiful temple.  We enjoyed the session very much,  because we don't have a temple that we can attend while we're here. 

Elder Johanson, an Area Seventy, in the Pacific, spoke to us during our training.  He is such a spiritual giant, and so enjoyable to be around.  He is a big man, with a big heart, from Tonga.  I'll attach a picture with him in it.  Glen Reid, the Area Auditor, our boss, has been released.  We have loved working with Glen and will miss him.  His replacement, Barry Mitchell, is a good man too.   We found the training very helpful.  The next audit cycle starts the middle of January,  so we'll soon be traveling to the other islands.  We all met together in the hotel restaurant each night to have dinner.  It was an open restaurant, so you could see the GORGEOUS sunset over the ocean each evening as you ate dinner.  I love taking pictures of sunsets, and have quite a collection.  Some I have shared with you.  I just wish you could be here to enjoy them with us.  

We all had the chance to go downtown Suva and look around.  It's a crowded, busy place.  It does have smooth roads though!  The people are so sweet and friendly.  There are alot of Indians from India that live there.  We were reading an article on the plane ride over, about the Indians in Fiji, and how they got there.  It said,  back in the 1800's,  Fiji was a British colony.   Though Britain had outlawed slavery, Fiji needed people to work in their sugarcane  fields.  So, they went to India, who was also a British colony, and brought back indentured " labourers" to work their sugarcane fields.  The Indian's don't have alot of opportunity because of the caste system (being born into the lower class and poor), and suffer many prejudices.  They were told that at the end of five years of working in Fiji, they were free to go.    They say 40% of the people in Fiji today are of Indian decent.  Our taxi driver was Indian, but has never been to India.  He wants to visit  there someday.  He seemed very happy to be in Fiji.  It turned out to be a good thing after all.

The Pacific Mini Games started today in Port Vila.  There are teams from many of the island nations all over the Pacific.  It's hard to get around town,  but it's exciting for the people.  They don't have alot going for them, so we hope they have a good time.  We're going to try to get to some of the events.  It's so hard to get around, there are buses in traffic jams all over the city.  We did watch the opening ceremonies on TV last night.

The other day, we went to the Chinese stores looking for a Christmas tree.  We obviously can't get fresh trees, but  we did find a cute little Charlie Brown tree that will do just fine.  This will be my FIRST Christmas away from home.  Greg has spent many holidays away from home, now I know how he felt. The Christmas season just isn't the same without snow.  Some how hot, humid, weather just doesn't cut it!   We do have some fun things planned as couples to celebrate.   Above all, the real celebration of course, is to honor the birth of our Savior, and his gift given to all of us, through His atonement.  What better gift could we ever receive?  Let's not ever forget.

The internet has struggled mightily this week.  It will be okay one minute and down the next.  Everything I've tried to send fails.  That's why you haven't heard from us for a while.  Hopefully it will get better.  We love you all, and think of you always.  Enjoy the snow!!  

Love, Elda and Sista Robison